Message in a Bottle (episode)
Seven of Nine finds an abandoned subspace relay network that has the ability to send a message to a Starfleet ship detected in the Alpha Quadrant. Summary Seven of Nine discovers an operational alien subspace relay network, and uses it to scan an area in the Alpha Quadrant. She discovers a Starfleet vessel, and informs Captain Janeway that it may be possible to send a message. None of the captain’s hails get through, however; instead they are bounced back. Torres informs her that it may be possible to send a holographic data stream, as it would not degrade as quickly. Since they have no time to design a hologram to send the message, the Doctor is asked to volunteer. He agrees, and is sent through the relay network just before the ship in the Alpha Quadrant moves out of range. The Doctor is activated inside the ship's sickbay, the computer identifying the vessel as the [[USS Prometheus (NX-59650)|USS Prometheus]], a prototype for a new class of starships designed for tactical assignments. The Doctor discovers injured crewmembers; one is dead, the other manages to inform him that the ship has been invaded by Romulans before he dies. The Doctor activates the Prometheus' EMH Mark-II, who is hesitant to assist at first, but eventually agrees to help after hearing the ship's predicament. The Doctor is captured by the Romulans as he tries to reach the environmental controls to distribute neurozine throughout the ventilation system. The EMH Mark-II manages to complete the task by simulating a biohazard, and they both head for the bridge. Meanwhile, in the Delta Quadrant, the Hirogen, the owners of the subspace relay network, contact ''Voyager'' and instruct them to discontinue their use of the network. They do not respond to diplomacy, so Seven of Nine gives the Hirogen a mild shock, in order to give the Doctor enough time to get back. The Doctor and the Mark-II manage to stop the Prometheus from entering the Romulan Neutral Zone, and a fire fight between Starfleet and the Romulans ensues. The two holograms manage to engage the Prometheus' experimental multi-vector assault mode, and drive the Romulans back. The Doctor then informs Starfleet of Voyager's condition, position, and of everything that has happened to the crew since they arrived in the Delta Quadrant. He discovers that Voyager was officially declared lost 14 months ago, but after The Doctor sets the record straight directly to Starfleet Headquarters, they send the Doctor back to Voyager through the subspace relay network with a message for the captain: Voyager is no longer alone. Memorable Quotes "I'm a doctor, not a commando!" : - EMH Mark II "Please state the nature of the medical emergency... What the hell are you doing in my sickbay?" : - EMH Mark II "'' I assure you I am in perfect health; I was saving Voyager from annihilation when you were only a gleam in your programmer's eye! Now are you going to help me take back this ship or not?" "''Get me the thrombic modulator" : - The Doctor and EMH Mark II "...However, I found something disturbing in his blood work. It seems hes been exposed to a nasty strain of the Torothka Virus, and if he was, you may all have been. I've come to run some scans." "No one here is sick!" "Not yet. I understand the stomach cramps are unbearable, although some say that the rash is worse." "Conduct your scans" : - The Doctor and the Romulan comander "I'm a pilot, Harry, not a doctor!" : - Tom Paris "You're rude." : - B'Elanna Torres, to Seven of Nine. "Specify attack pattern." "Attack pattern... Alpha?" "Specify target." "Romulans!" : - ''Prometheus Computer', '''The Doctor', and EMH Mark II "Two holograms alone, Romulans on one side, Starfleet on the other, alarms beeping everywhere." : - EMH Mark II "Trapped, in the Jefferies tube, alone, nowhere to run. His smug comrade captured by Romulans. EMH Mark II had to improvise!" : - EMH Mark II, to the Doctor "Stop breathing down my neck!" "My breathing is merely a simulation!" "So is my neck, stop it anyway!" : - The Doctor and EMH Mark II "You hit the wrong ship!" "It wasn't my fault!" "Well then whose fault is it, the torpedo's? You're supposed to tell it what to do!" : - The Doctor and EMH Mark II "Beep beep beep, beep beep beep? I've never heard that one before." : - EMH Mark II "What are they doing?!" "Firing on us!" "They must think Romulans are on board!" "THEY'RE RIGHT!!" : - EMH Mark II and The Doctor "My brilliant existence cut short... Not time to explore the universe... No time to smell the roses... No time for... sex." : - EMH Mark II Background Information * Voyager was officially declared lost 14 months before the events of this episode. * Although the Dominion is referenced in several other episodes, this is the only one to reference the Dominion War and the only direct mention of the Dominion on the series. * Tiny Ron is better known for his role as Maihar'du in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. * There was some confusion during the production of "Message in a Bottle" concerning the registry of the Prometheus. According to Michael Okuda, he had used the number NX-74913 on all the internal displays and the ship's dedication plaque. However, the Foundation Imaging FX artists did not get the memo and used the number 59650 instead. Although Okuda's number did appear on screen, the Foundation number was much more visible. * This episode marks the first appearance of the new Starfleet uniform on the series, which had been introduced the previous year on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. From this point on, all Starfleet characters in the Alpha Quadrant would wear this style of uniform, although the Voyager crew themselves would continue to wear the old style as previously established. * According to the display in Astrometrics on Voyager, showing the position of the USS Prometheus, the ship was actually in the Beta Quadrant, although the relay station network did reach into the deep space regions of the Alpha Quadrant. * When talking with the EMH Mark II, the Doctor says that he has, at one point, engaged in sexual relations; this presumably refers to his relationship with Denara Pel, a Vidiian whom the Doctor treated in "Lifesigns", as she was the only woman with whom the Doctor was shown to have had a romantic relationship at this point in the show's history. * One of the pieces of advanced Medical equipment was an homage to Dr McCoy's tools, which were often nothing more than machined pieces of metal. * The Starfleet task force destroys a D'deridex class warbird for the first time on screen. Captain Kirk destroyed a Romulan Bird of Prey in TOS's Balance of Terror. * This episode appears before In the Pale Moonlight, thus the Romulans have not entered the war against the Dominion and the Starfleet-Romulan-Klingon alliance has not yet formed. *There is an inconsistency in this episode. When the Doctor is transferred from Astrometrics to the Prometheus, his mobile emitter disappears with him rather than dropping to the floor. Links and References Guest Stars *Judson Scott as Rekar *Valerie Wildman as Nevala Special Guest Star *Andy Dick as EMH-2 Co-Stars *Tony Sears as the ''Prometheus'' officer *Tiny Ron as Idrin *Majel Barrett as the computer voice References ablative armor; ''Akira''-class; Almak; Alpha Quadrant; American cuisine; anesthetic; anesthazine; antacid; astrometrics; axonol; biofilter; ''Bonchune'', USS; chicken salad; Comparative Alien Physiology; compression phaser rifle; datastream; ''Defiant''-class; Dominion; Emergency Medical Hologram; Emergency Medical Hologram Replacement Program; English language; exoscalpel; Gray's Anatomy; gyrodyne relay; heartburn; Hirogen; Hirogen communications network; jalapeño pepper; Johnson, Mark; leech; McCoy, Leonard H.; mobile emitter; multi-vector assault mode; ''Nebula''-class; neurozine; Ohio; optronic data stream; osteogenic stimulator; ''Prometheus'', USS; ''Prometheus''-class; psychotropic agent; regenerative shield; Rodeo Red's Red-Hot, Rootin'-Tootin' Chili; Romulans; scalpel; sickbay; ''Spector'', USS; Starfleet Headquarters; Starfleet uniform (2373); Tal'Shiar; Terothka virus; Terrilium plague; thrombic modulator; thrust initiator; ''T'Met'', IRW; warbird Other references Antares sector; Rick Berman; Beta Antares; Beta Antares Ship Yards; dedication plaque; registry; Starfleet Command; Starfleet Ops; Starfleet Research & Dev.; Starfleet Science Ops; Starfleet Tactical Ops; Jeri Taylor; Brannon Braga; Peter Lauritson; Merri Howard; Joe Menosky; Ken Biller; J.P. Farrell; Brad Yacobian; Jerry Fleck; Adele Simmons; Arlene Fukai; Cosmo Genovese; Michael DeMeritt; Diane Overdiek; Meril Davis; Marvin Rush; Bill Peets; Bob Eyslee; Alan Bernard; Dick Brownfield; Mark Stimson; Richard James; Louise Dorton; Greg Berry; Greg Hooper; Rick Sternbach; Michael Okuda; Kim Spencer; Wendy Drapanas; Dan Curry; Mitch Suskin; Randy Burgess; Ben Betts; Jon Djanrelian; Alex Smutko; Mike Westmore; Bob Blackman; Greg Agalsoff; Chief of staff; Gene Roddenberry (Admiral); William Shakespeare |next= }} Category:VOY episodes de:Flaschenpost es:Message in a Bottle fr:Message in a Bottle nl:Message in a Bottle